The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to retractable docking system for an information handling system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some conventional portable IHSs such as, for example, laptop and/or notebook IHSs, are operable to connect to a docking station in order to quickly and easily couple the portable IHS to a plurality of external peripheral devices including a pointing device, a keyboard, a monitor, a network connection, an external hard drive, and/or a variety of other peripheral devices known in the art that may be connected to the docking station. The docking station includes a docking connector that provides a single connection between the portable IHS and the peripheral devices coupled to the docking station that allows the functionality of the portable IHS to be expanded. The docking connectors on a majority of conventional docking stations have become standard among many users with large existing user bases utilizing docking stations having the same type or types of docking connectors. Those type docking connectors were conceived of many years ago when portable IHS were much thicker, and as portable IHSs become thinner, it is becoming more and more difficult to accommodate the required mating features and dimensions for the docking systems in the portable IHS.
For example, docking stations typically include a base having two fixed alignment posts with the docking connector located between the alignment posts. The distance between the tops of the alignments posts and the mating portion of the docking connector is fixed and was designed for relatively thick portable IHSs that can allow the alignment posts to extend into the portable IHS such that the docking connector mates with the IHS connector on the portable IHS. However, as portable IHSs become thinner, the alignment posts must extend too far into the portable IHS in order to allow the docking connector to mate with the IHS connector and would require the alignment posts to occupy a volume in the portable IHS that is used for other portable IHS components (e.g., the keyboard). As such, docking systems are not currently provided for thin or ultra-thin portable IHSs.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved docking system.